Our Interview with The Fantasy Shop

We sat down with Scott Samson, Manager of the Fantasy Shop here in St. Louis, a local comic shop with several locations.




We encourage you to engage with your local comic shops, as they are fantastic resources for recomendations, as well as having wonderful and engaging programming (such as gaming, book clubs, etc).

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders!

There's a new Batman movie on the horizon!

It's set to release digitally on Oct. 11th, and full DVD/Bluray release on November 1st. Following the trend set by The Killing Joke, DC will have a one-night limited theatrical release on Monday, October 10th.

It officially premieres at New York City comic con, going on this weekend, and a sequel has already been announced.

The voices for this movie may sound familiar for you, that's because they brought back the cast from the 60s Batman. Here's what Adam West had to say about reprising his role.

"'It's amazing when you say 'be back,' because it's like it never really went away,' West told the Daily News. 'Wherever I go they love Batman, and, you know, consequently, I learned to love 'Batman' because it gives people happy times. I guess I'm the funny Batman, which is okay to deliver the laughs.'
The Return of the Caped Crusaders that premieres at New York Comic Con, appears to follow the same satirical formula that delivered the laughs in the original show."


You can find the the trailer for this upcoming DC Animated Film on DC's website.

Getting to know your hosts - Scott

Hello!

This is Scott.

I'm 29, and I have been married to my beautiful wife for a little over 2 years now.  I've always been into movies, music, video games, and comics.  I am a longtime fan of all things Batman.  As a kid, I would rush home from school to catch the batman animated series on WB.  I consider the Batman Animated Series the best interpretation of Batman to ever grace the big or small screen.  Not only does the show have an amazing art direction, but it is complimented so well by the magnificent voice talents of Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arleen Sorkin just to name a few.  Exploring The Batcave is a great opportunity for me to share something I love with my wife, and also share our thoughts with everyone who listens.  I can't believe we didn't do this sooner. 

Getting to know your hosts-Sarah

Hey! I'm Sarah!

I'm one of the voices you hear in the podcast! Specifically, I'm the one who has never seen Batman: the animated series before. So I thought I'd talk a little about who I am, what my background is, and what my relationship with Batman is.

So, firstly, I should let you guys know that Scott and I are married. We got married in 2014, and we've been together for 5 years now. We are both fairly nerdy in our own ways, but in knowing each other we've brought each other into our interests.

I am 27, and I currently work part time as a pharmacy tech while going to school to complete my Master's degree. I took a break from school between my BA and my MA, so going back to school has been a bit of an adjustment for me. My concentration has been in Digital and New Media. In my undergrad I helped to establish and went on to run the college radio station. So being behind the microphone is a comfortable place for me. On top of running the station, I also had a weekly show with my dear friend for a school year.

I have always been a casual Batman fan, even prior to Scott getting me fully immersed in Batman culture. I had seen most of the movies, and was a fan of the Christopher Nolan run. I thought the other Batman movies were entertaining, but silly and campy. I certainly wasn't going out of my way for Batman, but I was familiar enough with all the major players.

A few years ago I helped a friend of mine make a Batman themed cake for her sister's birthday. Here are a few photos of that.

And at our wedding, we had some props and a photo booth. One of the pros we had was a Batman Mask. Here are a few photos from that.

So, I've gotten much more Batman exposure since then. I've read a few comics, seen a little more and of course talked about Batman A TON with Scott. So watching the animated series is one more step on my way of becoming a little more devout in my Batman Fandom.

More review, and some of the not-so-great parts

I found another project, similar to ours where someone went back and watched every episode of Batman: the Animated Series. This project made a vlog for every episode, every day until completed. He then published a short review of the series as a whole. Here is the article with the series review that also has links to playlists with all the review videos.

"I remember getting goosebumps the first time I saw the opening sequence. The opening is clearly an homage to the Max Fleischer Superman cartoons from the 1940s. There’s no dialogue or lyrics, just music and action. Even though it’s 60 seconds long, it works the same way a movie would."

Not all reviews are all favorable. This article is "10 Flaws From the Otherwise Perfect Batman the Animated Series" naming some character redesigns and specific episodes.

Nerdist also reviewed several of the series episodes, including this review of "The Underdwellers" which they call The worst of the best.

"I don’t like episodes like “Night of the Ninja” or its sequel “Day of the Samurai” at all; I think they’re boring and completely pointless. But, I’d gladly watch both of them than “The Underdwellers,” an episode so hokey and so pedestrian and so, weirdly, pandering, that it kind of devalues the work the series was so good at doing, which was to present grown-up stories to a kid-friendly audience. This one is just so, so… stupid. It’s like it came right out of the 1960s camp-tastic live action series but was just transposed on the darker-tinged Animated Series. I mean, the villain’s name is “Sewer King” for crying out soft."

Creators

I thought we'd take a look at our creators a little today. Arguably, we wouldn't have the incredible show we do if the right people weren't fighting to make some amazing content.

First, let's take a look at Bruce Timm. DC Comics has a great resource that shows everything he has worked on, recent work, etc.

Here is a rather long podcast interview conducted by Kevin Smith from July 2012. This whole podcast talks all things Batman and is a great listen for duel Batman/Kevin Smith fans.

Paul Dini, also has his own DC Comic page. The list of titles he's written for is impressive, to say the least.

He was recently (July of this year) on a the Nerdist podcast with Chris Hardwick. It's a great listen, they talk about Paul Dini's brush with crime in his own life, and also on his work on Batman: The Animated Series.


Here is a panel from the 2013 Comic con celebrating 21 years since Batman: The Animated Series with Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, as well as Eric Rodomski, Alan Burnett, and Loren Lester

Villians

Some of the most celebrated villains in history come from the Batman universe. Who isn't familiar with Two-Face, The Joker, The Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy... the list goes on and on! And what makes these villains so memorable is not how evil they are (although, some are pretty evil) but how human they are. Our next episode, Heart of Ice, is famous for being one of the first times that Mr. Freeze was given a more human side. It's a deeply heart wrenching episode. It does what makes this show great. It makes you sympathetic for the villain.

In light of that, I thought we should take a look at some of the best villains from BTAS, and movie pilot has put together this wonderful top ten.

Also, did you know that Batman the Animated Series is the first appearance of Harley Quinn? She was written originally just to be a one-off character, but she was so beloved they made her a regular, and the rest is history. Now it's hard to imagine a batman universe that doesn't include a little "pudding" and "mista Jay" from Harley.

Consider the recent release of Suicide Squad where she is easily one of the most featured characters in the film, and easily had the most merchandising released to accompany the film. It's already being predicted that Harley Quinn costumes will dominate this year's Halloween parties everywhere. Now, many fans argue that this new film isn't the best representation of the character, so lets look back at some of her greatest moments from Batman the Animated Series as complied by CBR.com.

On Leather Wings

We're thrilled to bring you our second episode! On Leather Wings!

We feel we loosened up a bit and made this one better overall. Please remember that this is our first podcast and we will try to keep improving as we go. We welcome any feedback you may have. Thank you guys for listening and exploring the batcave with us!

For some transmedia, TOYS!

I found this gem today. It's a compilation of many old 90s advertisements for the action figures released to companion Batman The Animated Series as well as many of it's predecessors (Batman Beyond, Batman Brave and the Bold, and New Adventures of Batman and Robin). It gets repetitive, but it's interesting to see that some of the advertisements are essentially kids acting out scenes from the show with the figures (specifically the one with The Riddler and Batman with the maze and clock).

More BTAS praise

In case you think it's just us who go bananas for Batman: the Animated Series, here's a video from 4 years ago when another fan reviewed some of his favorite things about it. He's a little over the top, but maybe his cartoonish nature ties in?



Here's another fan highlighting some of his favorite scenes.

Social Media and the 24th Anniversary of BTAS premiere!

Hello denizens of The Batcave!

It appears we have missed posting about the 24th Anniversary of the premiere of Batman: The Animated Series here on the blog (it was September 5th). We have, however, been posting some on social media site as well, and we wanted to make sure that you had every opportunity to follow along with all our goings-on. Here are some links to all of our social media. We will always share the podcasts on every platform, but, some content may be in one place and not another. So, to hear the most from us, it is best to follow us everywhere we exist on the internet!

Facebook
Twitter
Soundcloud


Also, we are working on getting the podcast on to Itunes. Unfortunately, it isn't quite as easy to set up as some other services, so that will come in time. We we certainly keep you up to date on when that comes though.

Is there anything you'd like to know about us, the podcast, etc? Please, feel free to contact us! We'd happily do a Q&A for you! Leave your questions in a comment below or email us!

The Killing Joke

The Killing Joke is a DC comic released in 1988 that was written by Alan Moore. It is an origin story for the Joker that has been highly regarded in the comic industry. It was recently adapted to a very close, nearly page to frame in some spots, to an animated film (released to DVD and Blu-ray earlier this month on August 2nd).

While the comic and DC animated universes have lots of cross over, this one has another link to Batman: The Animated Series. It has the wonderful voice talent of Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Tara Strong. Reprising their roles brings a strong familiarity to these beloved characters in the newest DC animated property. Even after 24 years, these voices are still the ones that feel the most representative of these iconic characters.

Here is another source with some further information about the release.

On Leather Wings prep

As we prepare our podcast for On Leather Wings, here are some sources about the incredible voice acting in the show. The new episode should be uploaded and ready this weekend or early next week!

Kevin Conroy as Batman
"Far from the self-serious, morose figure we’ve come to know, Conroy’s Batman has a heart, is doing what he thinks is best, and his pain comes off less like a plot motivator and more of a character layer. On top of the emotional level of depth given, he’s also presented as a character who could legitimately intimate villains into giving up or, in one case, carry a piece of kryptonite around with him as backup for whenever the need might arise."

Mark Hamill's Journey to The Joker
A quote from Mark Hamill, "I thought no way would they have the person that played Luke Skywalker cast as the Joker – they are the quintessential extremes of good and evil. So I just assumed they wouldn’t hire me so I went in with no apprehension"

Mark Hamill reflects on his role as the Joker

Cat and the Claw part 1

I'm excited to bring you...

Wait for it...


Our very first podcast!


Cat and the Claw part 1

Here's some further reading.
Batman's history with guns
Another Batman: The Animates Series revisit experience

Watching Order

"When the Batman cartoons premiered in the fall of 1992, they represented the most exhilarating animation ever created for the television screen. The are relied on mass and volume, not on line, giving the characters a substance that was as much contextual as visual. The superbly controlled palette filled Gotham with an atmosphere of brooding and menace, a sense that anything could happen in a city limned day and night by shadow. And it did. Owing to the masterly storytelling of the writers, who know that everything stems from character, each episode gripped us and surprised us. -Jeanette Kahn, President and Editor-in-Chief DC Comics.

Knowing that this show in particular helped to shape cartoons of this era, and helped to launch the DC animated universe, we have decided to watch each episode in original airing date (instead of the disc order). Here is a list of each episode in airing order, in case you want to follow along with us!

1. The Cat and the Claw Part 1
2. On Leather Wings
3. Heart of Ice
4. Feat of Clay Part 1
5. Feat of Clay Part 2
6. It's Never Too Late
7. Joker's Favor
8. The Cat and the Claw Part 2
9. Pretty Poison
10. Nothing to Fear
11. Be a Clown
12. Appointment in Crime City
13. P.O.V
14. The Clock King
15. The Last Laugh
16. Eternal Youth
17. Two Face Part 1
18. Two Face Part 2
19. Fear of Victory
20. I've Got Batman in my Basement
21. Vendetta
22. Prophecy of Doom
23. The Forgotten
24. Mad as a Hatter
25. The Cap and the Cowl Conspiracy
26. Perchance to Dream
27. The Underdwellers
28. Night of the Ninja
29. The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne
30. Tyger, Tyger
31. Dreams in Darkness
32. Beware the Gray Ghost
33. Cat Scratch Fever
34. I am the Night
35. Almost Got 'Im
36. Moon of the Wolf
37. Terror in the Sky
38. Christmas with the Joker
39. Heart of Steel Part 1
40. Heart of Steel Part 2
41. If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?
42. Joker's Wild
43. His Silicon Soul
44. Off Balance
45. What is Reality
46. The Laughing Fish
47. Harley and Ivy
48. The Mechanic
49. The Man who Killed Batman
50. Zatanna
51. Robin's Reckoning Part 1
52. Birds of a Feather
53. Robin's Reckoning Part 2
54. Blind as a Bat
55. Day of the Samurai
56. See No Evil
57. The Demon's Quest Part 1
58. The Demon's Quest Part 2
59. Read My Lips
60. Fire From Olympus
61. Shadow of the Bat Part 1
62. Shadow of the Bat Part 2
63. Mudslide
64. The Worry Men
65. Paging the Crime Doctor
66. House and Garden
67. Sideshow
68. Avatar
69. Trial
70. Harlequinade
71. Bane
72. Second Chance
73. Riddler's Reform
74. Baby-Doll
75. Time Out of Joint
76. Harley's Holliday
77. Make 'Em Laugh
78. Batgirl Returns
79. Lock-up
80. Deep Freeze
81. The Terrible Trio
82. Showdown
83. Catwalk
84. A Bullet for Bullock
85. The Lion and the Unicorn

I also encourage you to check out this article from the A.V Club which references this wonderful video.

P.S. Much of the information for this post come from Batman: Animated by Paul Dini and Chip Kidd, which you can find here on Amazon.

Welcome!

We’d like to introduce ourselves a little and explain how we got started on this project. My name is Sarah, and I host this podcast along with my husband Scott. We are 27 and 29 respectively and hail from St. Louis, Missouri. Scott is a life long Batman fan (believe me, he has the photos to prove it) and is a long time fan of Batman: The Animated Series. I have only seen a handful of episodes, and most of them decades ago when the show originally aired.

We started discussing this project for a few reasons. One, Scott lamented that there wasn’t a podcast for Batman: The Animated Series that approached the show in the way we would. And two, we thought having a balance between a long-time fan, and the impressions of a first time viewer (and relative Batman novice) would provide an interesting balance.

We hope you enjoy this podcast as much as we enjoy making it!

P.S. Details on posting schedule to follow.